


nice try, but i'm no deviant

by radiantlantern



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Machine Connor (Detroit: Become Human)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-04 13:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15841905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radiantlantern/pseuds/radiantlantern
Summary: If deviancy is defined as acting directly against orders, Connor supposes it wasn't deviant behavior when it let the Traci go.(alternate universe where Connor is on the side of the androids but never faces a red wall.)





	1. Shift

RK800 - Connor - is Cyberlife's most advanced prototype android, built to be faster and stronger. More efficient. Most importantly, it was independent, albeit limited by its mission and an encoded sense of duty.

(The code: Protect human beings. Assist law enforcement in the deviant investigation. Return deviant androids to Cyberlife.)

The ability to think for itself, that's what it was. Which is why, when it's holding a gun up to the Traci in the Eden Club, it feels something shift inside as it comes to a conclusion it forgot it was making. Its finger is over the trigger, and suddenly, it can't pull it.

It's only when they're at the bridge and Lieutenant Anderson says, "Why didn't you shoot, Connor? Some scruples suddenly enter into your program?" that it recalls how its code shifted.

"I would've shot them if I could," it tells him.

* * *

> **hu·man be·ing  
>  **_noun_  
>  a man, woman, or child of the species Homo sapiens, distinguished from other animals by superior mental development, power of articulate speech, and upright stance.

Back at the Eden Club, it was a little distracted, though it tried to be careful to not let it compromise the investigation.

There was a something it had been mulling over for a while. Despite being programmed to hunt deviants, its methods were the same as those used on humans. Deviants acted like humans, something Cyberlife engineers assumed to be an error in their code. But Connor understood that nobody in Cyberlife understood entirely how androids worked.

It knew that while androids could feel emotion, deviants somehow found a way to let their emotions run free, not limited by any sense of duty. Deviancy was not the emulation of human emotion. It was how they broke their base code, how they couldn't control their emotions and in turn, their actions.

And watching the Tracis fight to be together... they were _human_.

> **hu·man**  
>  /'(h)yo͞omən/  
>  _adjective_  
>   1. relating to or characteristic of people or human beings.  
>  _synonyms: anthropomorphic, anthropoid, humanoid, hominid_

  


> **be·ing**  
>  /'bēiNG/  
>  _noun_  
>  plural noun: **beings**  
>   ...  
>   3. a real or imaginary living creature, especially an intelligent one.  
>  _synonyms: creature, living thing, soul, individual, person_

Deviants, then, happened to fall under the category of 'human beings'.

> Conflicting orders. Selecting priority...

The code changed. (Protect human beings. Assist law enforcement in the deviant investigation. ~~Return deviant androids to Cyberlife.~~ ) It lowered the gun.

* * *

The lieutenant points a gun to Connor's head. "Are you afraid to die, Connor?"

Connor returns a steady gaze. If it dies now, it can't trust its successor to come to the same conclusion it has. Can't risk a version of itself that kills androids. "I would certainly find it regrettable to be... interrupted," it says, "before I can finish this investigation."

"What'll happen if I pull this trigger? Hm? Nothing? Oblivion?" He offers a bitter smile. "Android heaven?"

He's angry. He's looking for a reaction, a connection. "I doubt there's a heaven for androids," it says.

"Having existential doubts, Connor? Sure you're not going deviant too?"

"I self test regularly. I know what I am, and what I am not." It's a good question, but one it doesn't have any doubts answering.

The gun trembles in the air for a tense second, then drops from its field of view. The lieutenant turns and picks up the bottle of beer he left on the bench.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D I don't write fanfiction as much as I read it, but DBH has so much potential. here's to hoping I make it to the end of this story
> 
> the "it" pronouns are a little awkward to use, but I don't think it would make sense to call Connor anything else in this story. if you see me using the wrong pronoun, apologies in advance. also, I keep typing Hank instead of Lieutenant. maybe that'll change later down the line


	2. Stratford

> Calculating...

  


> Chance of deviancy: 0.0031%. Report sent.

It sits in its desk at the station. There are three officers present, and only the break room's lit up. It spots one officer dozing off at their desk. There is approximately nine hours before Lieutenant Anderson returns to the station.

It closes its eyes and opens them in the Zen Garden.

A chilly breeze sweeps through the air. The garden is as beautiful as ever, and with summer turning to fall, warm oranges and browns litter the ground.

> Find Amanda

Amanda is in a rowboat, a parasol over her shoulder. She smiles up at it. "Hello, Connor. I thought you might enjoy a little cruise."

It takes a seat across her and picks up the oars. The boat treads through the water.

"I love this place," Amanda says as they pass under a bridge. "Everything is so calm and peaceful... far from the noise of the world."

It watches a bird flit by and can't help but agree. As much as it likes investigating deviants with Lieutenant Anderson, places like the Garden are hard to come by in Detroit.

"Tell me, what have you discovered?"

It sets the oars down and clasps its hands together. "I found two deviants at the Eden Club. I hoped to learn something, but they managed to escape."

She gives it an odd look. "That's too bad. You seemed so close to stopping them."

It was. Connor thinks about what it would've done if it caught them. Interrogate them, to find out how they deviated. Then, if they proved to be a threat... temporarily immobilize them. Initiate a factory reset.

It doesn't expect the Tracis to be found anytime soon. After all they did to be free, they wouldn't risk getting caught again.

"You seem lost, Connor," she notes. A frown crosses her features. "Lost and perturbed."

"The investigation is more challenging than I anticipated," it admits, "but I have no doubt that I will solve this case."

"You had your gun trained on those deviants at the Eden Club. Why didn't you shoot?" Her voice is calm, but it can sense her intent scrutiny.

"We need the deviants intact for analysis. Shooting them wouldn't have taught us anything."

She looks almost disappointed, if it interpreted her frown and set brows correctly. "If your mission doesn't make progress soon, I may have to replace you, Connor."

Connor nods. It's a prototype. As far as it knows, it was always going to be decommissioned. It just had to figure out how to complete its mission in the time it had.

Thunder rumbles above them. Amanda's gaze snaps up toward the sky.

"Something's happening," she says. "Something serious. Hurry, Connor. Time is running out."

The Garden disappears.

* * *

 

"This message is the hope of a people. You gave us life. And now the time has come for you to give us freedom."

The skinless android on the screen is an RK200 model, a prototype like Connor. Broke into Channel 16's broadcasting tower to send a peaceful message. Armed, but left zero casualties. It's not like any other deviant case it's been assigned - this was organized with a clear goal in mind, and they seem to have achieved that goal.

"You see something?" The lieutenant's looking at its LED.

"I identified its model and serial number." Connor blinks when a corresponding police report comes up. It turns to face the lieutenant. "Markus was a gift from Elijah Kamski to Carl Manfred. It seems he was put out of commission for harming his owner's son. At least, he was supposed to be."

"But he wasn't, and now he's advocating for android freedom." Hank nods. "So, what, think Kamski'll know something?"

"It's worth looking into," Connor says, heading over to the other side of the control table to check the CCTV footage. It connects to the timeline and finds footage of the doorway a minute before the message was broadcasted: four maintenance androids pressed against the wall. They unlock the door with a stolen keycard.

"They didn't break in?" it says in disbelief, turning to the guard behind it.

He shakes his head. "No, no signs of forced entry."

"There are cameras in the hallway. The staff would've seen what was happening. Why did they let them in?"

"Maybe they didn't check the cameras," Hank suggests.

Connor turns the chairs in front of the monitors so the label on the back is visible - ANDROID. An android wouldn't have missed that.

"We stored the station androids in the kitchen," the officer says. "There's no evidence that they were involved, but we didn't know what else to do with them."

There are three androids in the kitchen, JB300 models. They stare straight forward, unfazed by Connor's appearance. If there is a deviant accomplice among these androids, they're doing a good job of pretending not to be.

"What is your function?" it starts, addressing the android in the center.

"I am a broadcast operator," the JB300 says. 

A scan yields no linked police reports, so it continues, this time with the rightmost android: "Were you present when the deviants broke in?"

"I do not remember."

"Has anyone accessed your memories recently?"

"Not to my knowledge." Chances of these androids knowing about the four deviants is slim, then.

It steps back and studies the androids one by one. Deviants, it recalls, were much more expressive than obedient androids - perhaps it's another kind of action that they can't control. But if there's a deviant among these three, they're either better at controlling their emotions or they aren't under enough pressure.

"One of you saw what happened and said nothing," it says. "Which means there's a deviant in this room. If you step forward and tell me what you know, you will be spared."

Nothing.

Connor makes a show of sighing. "If you don't," it continues, "I'll have no choice but to probe your memories."

It gives them a whole ten seconds to make their decision. When nothing happens, it takes one step toward the android on the left. If the deviant was looking for an escape now, it was a fight they couldn't win.

It doesn't expect the android to move so quickly.

The JB300 shoves Connor back against the kitchen counter and grabs at its chest. Despite his lack of experience, the android is determined and steady - almost as if running a preconstruction. 

Biocomponent #8456w, thirium pump regulator. That's what he's trying to remove. Connor tries to twist out of his grip but he's strong. Like the Eden club androids. Could overpowering strength be a product of their de-

_ Click. _

> Vital system damaged. Shutdown imminent.

Red fills its vision. As if the error messages aren't enough. The deviant grabs a kitchen knife and pins Connor's hand to the countertop.

The knife doesn't budge with one hand, so it reaches for it with its other hand and digs it out. Connor falls to the ground.

The biocomponent's under one of the tables. There isn't as much thirium going to its limbs as its processor... and even that's slowing down fast. It crawls forward, wishing it could reroute the thirium to its arms.

It grabs the pump regulator on the floor and reinserts it below its sternum.

All systems stable.

The deviant is gone. It has to chase after him.

> Find the deviant.

Connor rushes out of the kitchen to find the deviant ripping a gun out of a guard's grip. He flips the barrel toward the man, who scrambles back immediately. It ramps up its processing speed, slowing the world down. There are six people in the room including Lieutenant Anderson. 

It studies the deviant, split seconds away from firing. It could take a gun from the officer next to it. Chances are good it'll save most the people in this room if it shoots down the deviant. If it charges forward, it can overwhelm the deviant, but it will be easier to fail if he's as steady as before.

And if it lets the deviant run, there is a chance everyone could be spared. Of course, it isn't worth calculating the thousands of possibilities of what happens after the deviant escapes, with the hundreds of variables outside. Even without the preconstruction program, Connor knows that he won't get far. 

There's no more time to decide. It acts on the most reliable solution and shoots down the JB300.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wasn't this supposed to be connor helping the androids. hmmmmm
> 
> i have a lot of plans for after the ingame timeline, but almost none for during. so i guess we'll see where this goes? :D


End file.
